The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-12-24
XXIII.- NO. z.

Revolutionary soldiers with whom he had
served. He crossed the State of Vermont
to Plattsburg, N. Y, and then proceeded
to Sackett's Harbor, 0gdensburg and De-
troit He returned to Washington in the
latter part Of September, having consumed
four months in tour that could now be
gone over, by continuous travel, in about
four days
Judge A. r. Boteler, now of the Attor-
ney Generals office, at Washington, was a
boy at Princeton College when President
jackson made his famous tour through the
Eastern States in 1888. 1t was taken
shortly after his famous nulifcation de-
cree, and the North went wild in their ad-
ulation of Old Hickory, Baltimore and
Philadelphia had received jackson in fine
style and he was to pass through Princeton
on his way to New York. Judge Botelers
eyes now brighten as he tells how excited
the college boys were over Jaekson's ex-
pected coming, and they twinkled as he
told me how he, with several of his mates,
ran away from Princeton the night before
and went to meet the President at Trenton,
that they might accompany him to Prince
ton. During the journey the following
incident occurred, which | give in Judge
Boteler's own words:
"The people came in crowds from the
surrounding country to see the Presiden-
tial party pass by, and General jackson
was uniformly kind to ALL He rode in a
splendid four-horse coach, which was driven
by Old Resides, the noted stage owner, and
General Eaton, the Secretary of War, sat
beside jackson in the coach. About MD
way in the journey a poor woman was seen
out in the plowed fields alongside of the
road, hurrying toward the carriage. She
had almost reached the road when the car
riages came up. The coachmen were
about to whip up their horses, when Jack
son, seeing the woman, called out in stem
totorian tones, "Haltl''
GAS the carriage stopped, he said to Ea-
ton: Don't you see that lady? She wishes
to meet us"
"At this moment the poor bare-headed
woman, with little boy under her arm,
had reached the fence. As she crawled
through, and stood looking anxiously from
one face Of the party to the other, General
Jackson raised his tall white hat and cour-
teously said: "Madam, can we do anything
for you2"
"Rather abashed, the poor woman re-
piled: II want to see the President,
"At this Jackson again raised his hat
and said: 81 am he aud I am glad to
know you. And is that fine boy your
baby2 Let me have him.
"The woman handed the dirty-faced in
fant to Old Hickory. jackson took it and
held it mp before him,
"'Ahl There is fine specimen Of
American childhood. l think, madam,
your boy will make fine man some day."
''Then, with quick gesture, he put the
dirty face of the infant close to the face of
Secretary Eaton, saying quickly and sober
ly, "Eaton, kiss him !"
General Eaton pretended to do so with
wry face, amid the laughter of the crowd,
and jackson then handed the baby back
to the happy mother"
President jackson received grand ova-
ton in New York; and at Newport, Con-
cord, Providence aud Boston there were
grand demonstrations in his honor. At
Boston, Harvard College made him an
LII. D. One of the seniors addressed -
with speech of welcome ir-41satt Ela,,.,,
nigh" as the late Judge David E5vsf=s1n -
said, iHas we'll have taxed to him in {,v-,--.
taw on the subject of raising hens, fore
whole was unintelligible to Old Hickory.N
The tour, though successful in winning
friends for the President, was full of acci-
dents. In New York the bridge that con-
nected Castle Garden with the Battery
gave way with the weight of the crowd
upon it just as the President landed on the
other side, and precipitated the spectators
into the water. No one was hurt, though
Major Jack Downing says Governor Marcy
tore his pantaloons and Lewis Cass lost his
wig. Again, according to Parton, who is
my chief authority relative to Jackson's
tours, the Generals horse took fright going
up Broadway, and on one occasion the
wadding of cannon came within few
inches of singeing the Generals bristling
head of frosted hair. There was the same
unfortunate experience in Boston, where,
by over-exertion, he was taken with an at
tack of bleeding at the lungs. The carpets
on the hotel floors were doubled, the streets
outside were covered with tan and the
strictest silence was kept while he was con-
fined to his room. After few days he
became better, and at once set out to re-
turn to Washington.